Spectres
by Kyo12591
Summary: Two Spectres, Nihlus Kryik and John Shepard. A Pirate, Jane Shepard, and a plan to save the Galaxy together, whether any of them like it or not.
1. Eden Prime

**It's been so bloody long since I last wrote a new fic for everyone. This time I decided to write a Mass Effect fic. :D **

**The fic has both Nihlus, John, _and _Jane Shepard, so it is a little AU in that case. There _will_ be change, but it stays mostly true to the Game. So I hope you'll enjoy it. This will be split in different fic's for each game. This is of course, the first.**

**Kyo~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect. Bioware gladly does.**

**__Part One: Spectres__**

**Chapter one: Eden Prime**

John Shepard, spacer, sole survivor, soldier, and now...Spectre candidate. He could hardly believe it, let alone that Nihlus and Anderson just sprung it on him.

" Now that we're on a actual mission, Nihlus decides to get his spikes out of my ass? Backward freaking Turian logic." John Shepard grouched.

" I _can_ hear you." Nihlus said over the com linked to their suits. Shepard made a face that Nihlus couldn't see.

" You going to answer my question then _Spectre_?" Shepard asked annoyed.

" Was there a question_ Shepard_?" Nihlus returned sounding slightly amused. Shepard hadn't been around many Turians, but he knew when someone was being sarcastic in the least. Shepard glared holes in the Gas Bags he passed feeling the need to shoot one in spite, he refrained.

" You were up my ass since you boarded the Normandy, and now that we're in action, you run off alone? What kind of backward ass logic _is that_ Spectre? Somehow you'll _know_ if I'm right for the job by watching me everywhere _but_ in action?" Shepard questioned bemused and clearly frustrated by the Turian.

" I work better alone, so if you hold your own as well, it's obvious you can handle the job and your squad mates. Being ' _up your ass_', will only enable your progress." Nihlus explained over the com. Shepard grumbled to himself at that.

" There's a Spaceport ahead, I'll wait for you there." Nihlus said and disconnected without hearing a reply.

" Damn Turian enjoys jerking me around." Shepard cursed, but he didn't get much of a chance to complain as they were attacked shortly after that by husks. Dealing with them was more psychological then difficult as a few shots took them out of the game.

Ashley Williams pointed out one of the shacks sitting mostly untouched in the clearing after their fight. They discovered two scientists inside. The first survivors they'd seen thus far, minus Williams of course.

Shepard told the two scientists to remain there in safety then moved his squad onward, back out the shack and up the small hill toward what Shepard figured had to be the Spaceport Nihlus was talking about. As they topped the hill a shot rang out. Shepard cursed and tried to contact Nihlus through the com.

" _Spectre _what's your status?" Shepard demanded as they rushed forward. He received only static in return. He growled under his breath.

" I swear to the Maker if he got himself killed, I'll bring him back, and kill him _myself_." Shepard hissed. The Spaceport was crawling with enemies his combat censor displayed before he physically saw them. Shots rang out and a Turian who was definitely _not_ Nihlus, fled toward the tram. The Geth were firing on not one, but two figures behind the crates.

" Shit!" Shepard cursed and drew his assault rifle storming toward the first enemy in range, which was of course a husk. Maker he hated the once humans, they freaked the hell out of him. Kaidan was trying to take heat off the two behind cover by using his very useful biotics to toss a Geth against one of the Dragon's teeth. Ashley shot a husk between it's glowing blue eyes with her sniper rifle, and Shepard used his own rifle to fill a nearby Geth with a round through it's optics.

The two taking cover behind the crates weren't lazing around either, doing their part in taking out the large group. A obvious Tech, sent out a incinerate setting a Geth on fire, a shot from a pistol ended it's life. Another pistol took down two husks with green chemical rounds that literally left no trace, it dissolved anything it touched leaving only green behind.

Kaidan tossed the last husk into a burning rubble pile and the fight was finally over. Shepard didn't waste any time, he rushed toward the survivors hoping that one of them was the Spectre. He didn't need another person dying on this Maker forsaken mission. Approaching the crates he heard Nihlus' voice and relaxed in pure relief.

" I appreciate the help. Saren will answer for this, _I swear it_." Nihlus hissed through clenched teeth. Clearly he was injured in some way.

" Keep _still._" A feminine voice hissed back at him. Shepard tensed as he spotted the two figures. Nihlus was sitting propped against a crate with a grimace, the woman in front of him was human and giving him some omni-gel for the wound in his shoulder.

If Shepard hadn't known the woman, he'd have been happier and even thankful for her assistance, however, he did know her. That changed things a bit.

The woman stood from her crouch and turned toward them. She was petite with flaming red hair pinned back in a loose bun. She wore the most expensive armor he'd seen. Colossus armour in black and red. It was Medium compared to Shepard's own heavy. She had thick black eye lashes which were only further enhanced by the black lining her violet colored eyes. She was attractive in an oddly familiar way. Full red lips twitched slightly at him in recognition.

" Now why am I not surprised to run across you here John? It's so like you to be involved in this crazy ass shit." Her voice was low and sultry surprisingly. Ashley and Kaidan looked toward their commander in clear question.

" Jane, I thought you were_ dead_. What are you doing on Eden Prime?" Shepard asked narrowing his eyes. He said it as if not bothered, but there was a obvious tension in the air between the two of them. Jane crossed her arms over her chest.

" Me? I'm just here to collect the Goods Powell failed to deliver." She said with a thumb jerk to the corpse of a dockworker feet away from where Nihlus sat trying to recover. Shepard sighed and shook his head.

" So _you_ set up this little smuggling ring Williams warned us about? Why amI_ not _surprised?" He returned. Jane actually grinned at him, a bright flash of white teeth behind blood red lips.

" Since when does the Alliance invite Turian Spectres to play?" Jane asked avoiding his question, it was obvious the answer anyway. She did a slight head jerk toward Nihlus who was finally getting to his feet behind her.

" He's here to evaluate Commander Shepard for Spectre status." Kaidan spoke up eying her. Jane actually looked surprised.

" No shit? Sweet! Kicking ass and taking names now huh John?" Jane suggested with a smirk.

" It's not final yet Jane. Thanks for your assistance. We need to get going." Shepard said shaking his head at her. He wasn't happy to see her here by any means, but he _was_ glad for her presence regardless.

" Sure. I couldn't let such a sexy Turian get shot in the back." Jane commented brightly with a shrug. Nihlus' mandibles twitched in surprise.

" How _did_ you save Nihlus?" Kaidan asked in curiosity. Shepard sighed, really they needed to go after the Turian who was in clear cahoots with the Geth. They didn't have time to waste. Jane had even moved on and was searching Powell's corpse and then nearby crates for her merchandise. She moved gracefully and without sound.

" I heard... Saren approach?" Jane paused and glanced back at Nihlus for name confirmation. He nodded that she'd gotten in right and she went back to her work and her retelling.

" I used my tactical cloak to conceal myself as he and a shitload of Geth popped in. I was about to just knock Powell out and get my Goods and go, when this big guy walked up. I could smell a betrayal from a mile away and when he pulled a HMWP Master Pistol, some serious Spectre grade shit, I tackled Saren and used a Sabotage on his gun to jam it, damn fine gun too. I then dragged the Spectre here to safety and you and your...people, conveniently show up to provide some cover fire." Jane said shrugging casually as she finished, as if she hadn't just saved Nihlus' life.

" Saren was my mentor. I _trusted_ him...I never would have thought he would... be apart of this. Shepard we _need_ to follow him. He's after the Beacon." Nihlus said with a head jerk toward the tram. Shepard dipped his head.

" A Rogue Spectre isn't good for anyone, and to top it off Geth and a Prothean artifact, it's a recipe for disaster." Shepard sighed.

" Commander, we can't just let her get away with _this!_ Those supplies could have saved some of our mens lives!" Ashley complained in outrage as she realized they were just going to leave. Jane snorted at her and eyed her pink and white armour.

" _Sweetheart_ a few upgrades, and a few missing guns, wouldn't have done anything more then get those fools killed faster. They only lived as long as they did because the Geth didn't see them as a threat." Jane's lips twitched and a slight chuckle escaped her.

" I'm sorry...it's just so hard to take someone seriously in pink armour. How _the hell_ did you get out of Basic thinking _pink_ armour was a good idea?" Jane questioned incredulously as she slid a shotgun, pistol, and assault rifle, into a bag over her shoulder.

"Why you-" Ashley began face turning red in the beginning of anger, but Shepard held up a hand and cut her off.

" Enough,_ both _of you. Couldn't you have helped the colony Jane?" Shepard asked curiously.

" I _did_ help, I shoved some farmers and scientists in some shacks to keep them alive. I missed most of the action though, some asshole blew up my ship so it took me a while to get here." Jane said sarcastically with a roll of eyes.

" They said they took cover in the shacks themselves." Ashley snarled feeling the need to add her own two sense in.

" Damn ungrateful_ fools_." Jane hissed under her breath then glanced at Ashley with a pitiful look.

" Do you honestly think they just waltzed anywhere_ undetected _without some sort of cover fire or distraction with Geth and those blue things everywhere?" Jane waved at hand at her in dismissal.

" Are you going to steal a ship to leave? Otherwise you're stranded." Shepard commented off hand. Jane shrugged.

" All the ships docked were destroyed with mine John. So...if you give me a lift of this rock I'll provide additional backup." Jane propositioned. Shepard sighed heavily. He really didn't want her along, but...she _had _saved Nihlus and the Spectre_ wasn't _at his best being wounded and all...

" Fine." Shepard gave in.

**XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxX**

" So...Saren really hates this place." Jane said off hand as they stepped off the tram to almost literally trip over a bomb. Shepard snorted at her as she knelt to disarm it.

" Commander I should-" Ashley protested, but Shepard sensing what she was trying to say, cut her off by holding up a hand.

" Jane is an expert with tech of all sorts." Shepard supplied with full confidence.

" With all due respect Sir, a bomb is a lot different then an encrypted data-pad." Ashley grouched. Shepard smirked and tried to hide the small laugh that slipped out. Jane stood up finished.

" Watch it princess, I'll give your omni-tool a pornographic upgrade that pops up every-time you speak with a commanding officer."Jane returned. Ashley glared and Kaidan glanced back and forth in interest. Shepard shook his head. Nihlus on the other hand was ahead of them glancing across the way to spot at least three more bombs and a dozen Geth between each.

" Jane." Shepard reprimanded looking toward her with bright silvery blue eyes.

" Don't ' _Jane_' me, Princess here started it." Jane retorted with a wrinkle of nose. Nihlus cleared his throat drawing their attention toward him. He was giving them all this sort of incredulous face, but it was hard to tell. Shepard hadn't mastered the understanding of Turian expressions yet.

" The bomb was set for three minutes which means not only do we now have_ two_, but Saren is long gone." The Turian Spectre supplied as they dashed up next to him and then were forced to take cover as shots from the Geth flew over their heads.

" You know Spectre, you have a_ sexy_ voice. How about after this we find a nice secluded place and you can whisper naughtier words then ' bomb' and 'two minutes before we're obliterated' in my ear?" Jane asked with a wicked smirk toward Nihlus. His mandibles fell in genuine shock as he then cast a look toward Shepard as if asking if she were serious. Shepard made a irritated noise at her.

" Jane disarm the bombs before we get obliterated, _then_ you can hit on him. Kaidan keep the Geth of her while she disarms them. Williams provide cover fire." Shepard ordered shaking his head.

" Yes Sir." Rang out from Kaidan and Ashley as Jane's omni-tool lit, and with a few taps, she disappeared. Kaidan cursed and tried to track her as he moved forward across the walkway taking out Geth along the way to the first bomb while praying he didn't hit her. Ashley provided cover fire to Kaidan and Shepard covered for Nihlus who was clearing a path to the next bomb.

At one point in the fight Jane actually got _behind_ the Geth to disarm the last bomb unseen as they fended off Shepard and his squad. Once the final Geth in the area were dealt with and they _hadn't_ exploded, they went down toward the green glowing Beacon.

Shepard contacted the Normandy while Ashley went and approached the beacon and was dragged in. Shepard spotted this action and shoved Kaidan out of his way as he dashed toward Ashley to grab her around the waist and fling her out of the energy pulling them in. She went crashing to the ground and Kaidan dragged her away as Shepard was sucked closer and then lifted into the air by the green light.

" Commander!" Ashley cried in panic struggling to get out of Kaidan's hold. Kaidan yanked her backward.

" No! Don't touch him!" He shouted as they were forced to watch the event unfold. Nihlus and Jane stood off to the side almost casually.

" If he doesn't survive that, you'll still fly me _off_ this rock right?" Jane asked glancing at Nihlus curiously. His mandibles fluttered once, but he nodded. The Beacon suddenly exploded and sent Shepard crashing several yards away.

**XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxX**

John Shepard woke to hear arguing. It was muffled at first as if his head were being held just underwater, and then suddenly his ears popped painfully, and sound rushed in.

" Forgive me for not wanting a _pirate_ aboard an _Alliance_ ship!" Williams snapped. There was an amused snort from another person.

" Well you're forgiven for your impertinence princess, but John said he'd give me a ride and I _did _save your mission from being a _complete_ waste of time." A slightly familiar voice said calmly with_ extra_ sarcasm.

A hauntingly familiar voice, sure it was slightly different, deeper and more sultry, but he'd never forget that voice, even after seven years of not hearing it. Shepard heaved himself upright, and pried the heavy weighs off his eyes, to see the dim light of the med-bay. He was thankful for the lighting, he was not thankful to see his hearing wasn't wrong and Jane _was_ standing casually in the room, propping up a wall. He hadn't dreamed her up after all, _unfortunately_.

" Commander! Doctor, he's waking up!" Ashley called to Chakwas who came closer to grab his arm as he swung his legs over the bed to stand.

" _Easy _Commander, how do you feel?" Chakwas asked with her crisp accent.

" Like the morning after shore leave, what happened?" He asked rubbing a hand over his aching eyes attached to a throbbing skull. Jane snorted at his example and he glanced in her direction again taking in her appearance.

She was dressed in casual clothes without armour or weapons, but that was expected since she was aboard after all. She was in a baggy hooded sweatshirt that was black with a red star on the shoulder and tight fitting black pants. Her formal bun had been turned loose and was now down in a crimson wash down her shoulders and half pulled back to no doubt keep her hair out of her face. She wore knee high boots that had way too many buckles on them for his liking. It would take too long to get the blighted things on, longer then it was worth to him in the least. The boots did add to her height making her the same roundabout height as Chakwas and Ashley now.

Somehow Shepard was surprised by her choice of casual wear. He half expected her to run around half naked with tattoos up to her eyebrows. He was amazed at how easily she could fit into a crowd of people despite the fact she was a wanted criminal. Of course she _was_ always particularly good at blending and disappearing, and that _wasn't_ including her skills now that she could literally use her tactical cloak to disappear.

" It was my fault Commander, the Beacon, I activated it, and you had to save me." Shepard shook his head at the same time Jane nodded.

" Damn right it was your fault, who walks up to the glowing alien artifact and thinks it's _not_ going to do something?" Jane asked with familiar sarcasm. Ashley bristled like a cat tossed in water.

" Like you even _care _about what happened to the Commander? You asked the Turian if he died if you'd still get your boarding pass!"Ashley snarled. Shepard cast Jane a pointed look she just shrugged casually at.

" People who get sucked into freaky green alien beams, _usually_ don't do such without the threat of death." Jane commented with a wave of hand.

" It wasn't Williams fault regardless Jane, she couldn't have known it would activate." Shepard said shaking his head. That made Ashley relax and her mouth to twitch up into a pleased smile. Jane opened her mouth to retort in obvious sarcasm when Chakwas cleared her throat to get their attention.

" Actually we are not even sure that _is _what activated it." Shepard frowned her way. Before Shepard could ask anything else, Captain Anderson and Nihlus entered the med-bay.

" Shepard, good to see you're up." Anderson was clearly relieved by that fact.

" How long was I out for Sir?" Shepard questioned.

" Fifteen hours." Chakwas provided.

" What the hell happened down there Shepard?" Anderson asked shaking his head, but not as if he didn't already know. No doubt Nihlus and his squad had filled Anderson in while he'd been unconscious.

" Saren is what happened. A rogue Spectre is bad enough, but one _aligned_ with Geth?" Shepard shook his head.

" The mission went to hell Sir. Jenkins went down when we were ambushed by recon drones. Nihlus almost got killed,... had Jane not intervened, we'd be a Turian short on our way back." Shepard shook his head.

" I'm well aware of her..._assistance _on Eden Prime, and your word to drop her off on the Citadel." Anderson commented. Shepard hadn't actually gave his word on _where_ he'd take her after, but he did say he'd get her off the planet.

" After the light took you, the Beacon exploded, no doubt knocking you unconscious in the progress. Alenko and Williams carried you back." Anderson revealed. Shepard cast a look toward Ashley and nodded.

" Thank you for that." She smiled at him.

" What do you remember Shepard?" Anderson wondered.

" I recall shoving Williams out of the way and being lifted by the Beacon, then..." He shook his head.

" You had a lot of rapid eye movement and usual brain activity when you were unconscious Commander, nightmare?" Chakwas asked. Shepard put a hand to his shaved head and rubbed it uncertainly.

" It was a vision from the Beacon." Anderson's brows jumped and Nihlus made a curious sound, flickering his mandibles once.

" What did you see?" Shepard was sure Nihlus was humoring him, but at least he wasn't outright giving him hell.

" Slaughter, a lot of synthetics butchering organics. Felt like a warning of some sort. It was jumbled." Shepard shook his head frustrated.

" It was just confusing, everything was colliding together too quickly, nothing made much sense. I...don't know." Shepard rubbed at his eyes warily.

" I need to talk to the Commander alone." Anderson informed the entire room.

" I'll be in the mess if you need me." Ashley saluted and at Anderson's nod, she hurried out. Chakwas left automatically leaving only Jane. She scowled at them.

" Right military top secret bullshit, I'll be down with your engineers. Maybe I'll find some_ blue prints_ to sell on the black market or somethin'." Jane mock saluted them, then walked out annoyed. Nihlus' mandible's twitched in amusement as his eyes followed her out, Anderson watched her leave as well, then turned back to Shepard with a chuckle.

" She sure is feisty Shepard." Shepard snorted.

" Feisty, is _not_ how I'd describe her." Shepard commented off hand then stood straighter.

" Anderson, do you really think the Council will listen?" He asked curiously, knowing they'd have to tell the Council everything.

"It's Spectre against Spectre." Anderson motioned toward Nihlus with a slight head jerk.

" Either way they have to take care of it, so they_ have_ to listen." Anderson added.

" We need more proof then a bad dream." Shepard said incredulously glancing between Anderson and Nihlus.

" Finding proof will be difficult, but the Council will be at a standstill, so we _have_ time to get what we can. However, Saren is very good at covering his tracks." Nihlus filled in.

" The Council still needs to be informed about the Geth whether they believe Saren has joined their ranks or not." Anderson provided shaking his head.

" Shepard we'll talk more later, head up and tell Joker to pull into dock at the Citadel." Shepard nodded and headed out of the med-bay. He was still a little unbalanced, but he was regaining his footing. Being out for fifteen hours took a lot out of someone.

Of course Williams and Kaidan swarmed him the second he stepped out into the mess.

" Commander we're dropping that _Pirate_ off into C-Sec custody right?" Ashley asked with a displeased face.

" Jane helped us, I won't go back on my word. We drop her off and go our ways." Shepard said seriously.

" Commander, I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you know one another?" Kaidan questioned curiously. Shepard put a hand to his face in clear stress, but nodded.

" Jane is my little sister." That surprised Ashley, but Kaidan had half expected that.

" Sister?" Ashley wheezed out, after all she'd been arguing with her the entire time.

" Jane never liked living by any rules, she and mother never got along. So she left when she was sixteen. I heard she'd gone Pirate, but I hadn't seen her since she left. She didn't really keep contact." Shepard explained. Ashley wasn't sure what to say to that so she left it to Kaidan, who didn't disappoint.

" So you didn't part on good terms Commander?" Shepard snorted at his question.

" Jane has always been crude, rude, aggressive,_ sarcastic_, and disobedient. I always knew she would leave. It was just best we never got in each others way. I didn't want to have to bring her in one day. I'm not really surprised the way her life went." Shepard confessed shaking his head in disappointment.

" She seems quite capable of handling herself." Kaidan pointed out. Shepard shrugged.

" Jane is one of the smartest people I know, she could have easily surpassed the best minds, joined the military and flew up ranks, or even gone political, but her attitude and personality kept her from everything. She doesn't follow orders, _period._ She masters things so easily, every skill that comes her way, she excels at it, and moves on. There is little she can't do." Shepard sighed.

" It's a damn shame." He added. Kaidan frowned.

" Couldn't we use someone with her skills, I assume we're going after Saren aren't we? Dealing with the Geth?" Shepard shook his head. Ashley just sent him a foul look at his suggestion.

" _Sure,_ let's keep the _Pirate, _we'll wake as slaves on a stripped Normandy." Ashley griped. Shepard snorted at her comment.

" Even if we _could_ use her help, Jane doesn't follow orders, mine or anyone's. I think she'd be more trouble then help in the long haul." Shepard admitted.

" I have to get up to Joker." Shepard added quickly, knowing he couldn't delay any longer.

" Yes Commander." The two said together.

**XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxxXxxxXxxXxxxX**

**End chapter:**

**I'll keep the chapters around ten pages, if I can. I hope you all enjoyed the fic thus far. Leave me a review and tell me what you think, or any complaints you have. This is, after all, the first Mass Effect fic I've written. Not my first fic ever, just the first ME one lol. Thankx for reading!**

**Kyo~**


	2. Citadel Chaos

**I'm back and alive. I know it's been a while for those who read my Game fic's and I apologize, so to make up for it here's another chapter, they should be getting update more now then they have been, which is none, so hopefully you'll stay with me and enjoy the fic. Thankx for your time. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect, Bioware clearly does.**

**Chapter two: Citadel Chaos **

" I thought you left Jane." John Shepard comment in bemusement at his sibling. He'd already been to see the council and _as suspected_ they demanded proof. Jane shrugged.

" Conducted my business, I have to wait for a new ship. So I decided to see how you plan to take down the jackass Spectre." Shepard arched his brows.

" You've only just met and you already hate him? Not that he's an outstanding guy or anything." Shepard said with a slight shrug. Jane waved a hand at that comment.

" I don't like people who would shoot someone in the back, _especially_ a friend." Shepard gave her a long look that she ignored.

" I'd rather shoot them in the face, you gonna betray someone have the balls to let them see it coming." Jane said with a firm nod. Shepard snorted and shook his head at her, that was the Jane he remembered.

" So...the Spectre, Kryik..." Jane trailed of curiously. Shepard groaned. He knew it would come up sooner or later, it was always Turians with Jane.

" Ah, here comes those alternative motives." Shepard said and rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms and cocked his hip to lean on the railing of the docking bay, the Normandy as a backdrop. Jane grinned at him slightly.

" I can't help it John, there is just _something _about Turians. So uptight, so honorable, so ready to follow orders and obey all the rules..." She growled at that and shuttered.

" I like it when they give in. It's so amusing to watch them crumble and cave under the _inevitable_. The chase is half the fun too." Jane said pleased as punch. Shepard shook his head.

" That's my sister, corrupting the innocent since birth." He joked. She rolled her soft violet eyes.

"Please John, when are Turians ever_ innocent_?" She asked with a raised brow as she waved over the Citadel beyond the docking bay elevators. She shook her head and put her hands on her hips and grew more serious.

" So, where is the Spectre? He's not sticking with you anymore? I thought Kryik would be all over your ass like a barnacle, he's training you to be a Spectre yourself right?" Jane wondered curiously. John smiled slightly.

" We're searching for evidence against Saren, since the Council won't believe us. I mean it's Nihlus word against Saren they have to be sure. Saren was Nihlus mentor after all. It wouldn't be the first time a student turned on his teacher in all the history of that kind of relationship." John pointed out and shrugged.

" So Nihlus is following up on his own lead, we on the other hand, are heading down to Chora's Den to find Harkin, in turn to find Garrus Vakarian, a C-sec Turian who's trying to take down Saren himself." John revealed. Jane's lips twitched at the words, ' Turian' and ' C-Sec' like John knew they would.

" I'll tag along if you don't mind John. It should be fun to spend more time around my big brother as he moves forward to become the first human Spectre. I mean it's a step closer to my side of the pond right John?" Jane asked with a sly grin. John snorted at that.

" You mean all your_ illegal_ activities we won't go into? You realize Spectre's aren't free forgiving, they do a lot of police type work, just for the Council instead of military or C-Sec." John said raising a brow. Jane waved a hand blowing hair out of her eyes.

" John, my naive brother..." She shook her head and came over to wrap a arm around his shoulders as she pointed beyond the Normandy back into space beyond the Citadel.

" There is a whole different world out there for Spectres. They are above the law whether you want to see it or not. They answer to the Council sure, but the Council doesn't care how you get the job done, just that you do. Blowing up a school just because your target refused to come out, can be done despite casualties, not that you _should _do it, but that you _could_, with little to no repercussions at that. Casualties don't _matter _to the Council John, they'd do anything to achieve their own agenda, risk everything to save their own career and skins." Jane shook her head, sending strands of vibrant red into Shepard's face, he batted them away with a wary frown at her.

" Not _every _Spectre is like Saren, Jane, there are people who care for the safety of other people, human, Turian, alien or not. They protect people while getting the job done, there doesn't have to be rules broken to do that." Shepard said stubbornly. Jane let go of his shoulders and shook her head.

" Now you sound like the stuffy Executor Pallin." Jane said with a sigh as she waved a hand at Citadel space again.

" Why _limit _yourself, the universe at your hands as a Spectre, you could do anything you wished, I mean the Jackass got away with finding Geth and trying to destroy all organics right? I mean he sure didn't look real _organic _anymore himself, but think of the things you could do with that power at your hands. You could even save people if you wanted, be a vigilantly of _justice _or whatever _or _ you could be the best damn Spectre around and _make_ the rules." Jane said nodding as she put a hand to her head in salute to the universe. Shepard rolled his eyes he slapped her on the back making her stumble a bit forward against the railing. She caught herself and gave him a surprised look.

" And that Jane, is why no one ever asks _you _to be a Spectre." Shepard said with a grin. She snorted at that and crossed her arms.

" Alright enough bonding John, let's find us a C-sec and get down and dirty." Jane said with a sly grin at her innuendo. Shepard rolled his eyes.

" Yes Jane, lets go find the Turian and scare him away all in the same moment." Shepard said amused. She shook her head as they walked to the elevator with Ashley and Kaidan coming to join them now that their private conversation was over. Ashley gave Jane a wide berth, and Kaidan eyed Jane as they all boarded the elevator down into C-sec.

" Please John, none of the Turians I've ever met have _ever _been _scared_ off by anything I've ever said or did. I mean Turians are the most upfront about casual ..._interactions_ then anyone I've ever met. They make it easy to know in the first few seconds whether they're interested or not. If everyone did that, we'd probably be a lot happier as a communal group of mixed races." Jane said as the elevator closed and they started to move.

" Why Turians? I'm sure they aren't as happy with us still since the First Contact war as we are with them. They don't trust us and we don't trust them." Ashley said crossing her arms. Jane gave her a look of curiosity over her shoulder then put her eyes back on the doors in front of her.

" Bit racist aren't you? It's been almost thirty years now. If we can't learn to get along in thirty years then there's a wee bit of a problem isn't there? Unless it's more because of _who _your grandfather is rather then humanity and Turian relationships. I mean the Normandy is of both design." Jane said with a backward wave of hand not bothering to face Ashley as she said this, which was probably a good thing as Ashley immediately tensed up and Kaidan reached over and grabbed her arm to hold her back.

" My _family_ has nothing to do with it!" Ashley said between clenched teeth. Jane tilted her head but didn't look back, the glass reflected her expression revealing she'd seen the whole show, her lips tilted up.

" You shouldn't judge a race based on a rash decision that was made of fear and mistakes, if we judge everyone like that we'd never have made it off our own planet into space at all." Jane pointed out. Kaidan tilted his head at that.

" I'm surprised you're so...diplomatic about it, why didn't you go into politics? You sound like you'd be good at it." Kaidan said cutting in uncertainly. Shepard chuckled.

" I told mother that she'd either be a politician or she'd be a criminal." Shepard said nodding then shook his head and glanced over at his sister.

" You could have been _anything_ you wanted Jane, but you chose a very different path." Shepard said and shrugged. Jane chuckled at that herself.

" I'd have liked to be a politician just to have the chance to face down Sparatus and put the douche in his place. The look in his eyes, when things don't go his way and it's my fault, it's so much better then doing things legally and arguing, at least_ that_ way he has a chance to win,_ this _way he just sends his little people after me and sees where they end up and I win." Jane said with a slight evil grin. Kaidan glanced at Ashley who gave the red haired woman a scowl.

" Sparatus?" Kaidan asked confused.

" Turian Councilor." Jane said in explanation. John shook his head.

" Do I _want_ to know how you know the Turian Councilor personally Jane?" Shepard wondered with a raised black brow. Jane waved a hand at him.

" Not like_ that _if that's what you think. I just tend to get mixed up in a lot of _official_ Turian business, and C-Sec business while here, I'm very well known on the Citadel actually." Jane said unashamed of it. Shepard glanced out at C-sec's HQ, as they stopped, through the glass of the elevator.

" Should you be walking blatantly into C-Sec HQ if you're _wanted_ here?" Kaidan asked warily. Jane gave him a wicked grin through the reflective glass that he startled at.

" Don't worry Sparky, I know a guy." Jane said with a wink as the doors opened into C-Sec HQ. Immediately all eyes came to her, a few Turians looked uncomfortable, some Salarians actually turned the other way when they saw her get off the elevator, and a human actually cursed under his breath and avoided eye contact. Shepard glanced at his sister incredulously. She was _that _well known?

" Sparky?" Kaidan caught with a face of surprise. Jane laughed at that.

" You don't like it?" Jane asked with a smile. Kaidan swallowed, nervous at that smile, it was a bit uncomfortable_ what_ she seemed to say without words. He looked away from her with a mumble under his breath in acceptance of the nickname. Jane chuckled.

" With as much attention as your getting should you talk to that _guy _you know, just so you don't get pulled in for waltzing in here?" Shepard asked his sister warily as most of the officers avoided them outright with various looks ranging from curiosity to hostility. Jane shrugged.

" Well I guess I should, I mean it'll save time. Well John, I'll meet you at Chora's Den, have a drink on me there while you're there, you could use to loosen those buttons Mr. Tight-ass." Jane said with a backward wave then she walked toward the stairs at the right of the elevator then disappeared. Shepard shook his head.

" Your sister is trouble skipper." Ashley said outright. Shepard chuckled.

" Don't I know it, alright let's go find Harkin it shouldn't be too hard to find him in a Gentleman's club." Shepard said sarcastically.

" Gentleman's club?" Kaidan asked uncomfortable.

" Strip bar basically." Shepard said seriously with a shake of head.

" We go the most interesting places don't we?" Shepard asked with a slight smile back at them both. Kaidan snorted.

" I think Joker will be upset we didn't bring him along." Kaidan said with a small smile. Shepard laughed.

" Let's not tell him we went then, he'll be complaining about it the entire way." Shepard teased. Kaidan choked on a laugh that he tried to hide behind a cough.

**XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxX**

**The Wards:**

Harkin was a slimy douche bag and a terrible drunk like Anderson had said, so they didn't get much out of him other then a possible location to where the Turian C-Sec might be, they were headed over to a Doctor Michel's Medical Clinic. Shepard had doubts they'd find Garrus Vakarian there, after all what could he possibly be doing other then being healed up? Maybe Vakarian had a thing going on with the doctor. Shepard groaned at the last thought, he blamed Jane's influence on that part. Spending time with Jane could possibly be bad for him. He needed to be professional for this mission, and it was hard when his sister made things so personal.

As they walked over C-Sec's Wards entrance he reminded himself that he'd forgotten to see about the Krogan that the Shadow Broker's agent had told them about earlier after they'd spoke to the Council. As they approached the Medical clinic Shepard braced himself for all sorts of things going on inside, some maybe he didn't want to walk in on, but over all he braced himself and hit the panel to open the door. It opened to a scene he hadn't expected. A Shakedown.

That was at least better suited to the situation then something..._else_ he supposed. Vakarian was crouched low to cover sneaking up on the thugs, at their entrance it made the thugs panic. Vakarian made a hell of a shot and killed the thug holding the good doctor hostage in a fantastic display, then hell broke loose and they slid to cover getting involved in a fight they weren't expecting. Good thing he never went anywhere unarmed.

The doctor crawled to cover while they dealt with the enemies. Shepard spotted a containment cell and aimed his pistol carefully, it blew taking out two of the thugs closest to it. Kaidan's biotics lifted the last in the air and Ashley shot him between the eyes. Kaidan released the corpse and Shepard walked the clinic to make sure they were clear before holstering his pistol and holding a hand up for his teammates, as they did the same.

Shepard walked over to where Vakarian and the Doctor were. She looked uninjured if a little shaken up, but that was to be expected in this situation, regardless he held out a hand that she took to help her stand.

" You okay there Doctor?" Shepard asked. She nodded, her eyes a little too wide, but she was alive and that was what mattered he guessed. He turned to the Turian, examining him with a raised brow. Shepard hadn't been around a lot of Turians, he was a lot different then Saren and Nihlus, maybe Turians were more different, they certainly didn't ' All look the damn same', as he'd been told. Shepard held out a hand to the Turian who took it and shook.

" Commander Shepard right on time, good to see you again." Garrus said with a firm nod. Shepard smiled slightly, it was like he'd been waiting on them. Shepard shook his head and crossed his arms.

" That was a damn fine shot, if a little reckless of the Doctor's life, did you even look before you pulled the trigger?" Shepard questioned. Garrus tapped his visor.

" I don't need as much time with this then anyone else." He explained. Shepard eyed the visor curiously but just nodded, talking shop could come later.

" So what was that about exactly?" Shepard wondered waving a hand to indicate the thugs laying dead feet away, there was a river of blood coming his way, but he didn't step up as it wove around his boots in a small pool.

Shepard stood by listening to what the Doctor had to say about the Shadow Broker and why they were looking for a Quarian girl who must have something on Saren. Shepard turned toward Garrus as he came forward.

" I'm coming too Shepard." He said without hesitation or doubt. Shepard smirked at that.

" Alright Vakarian welcome aboard, let's get back to Chora's Den then and find Fist. If this Quarian has information, we need it. Saren needs to be taken down." Shepard said.

" Williams, head back to the Normandy and inform Joker we're getting another Turian on board, and perhaps a Krogan, and Quarian if we can find her. He should know before I send anyone back." Shepard said with a shake of head.

" Yes Commander." Ashley said with a nod then wondered off with purpose. Garrus fell back to fill her position.

" Another Turian?" Garrus asked having caught that.

" We have a Spectre on board the Normandy, well he's here somewhere, but he_ was _on board." Shepard said a waved a hand at that.

" I'm not sure if he's_ staying_ on board or not actually." Shepard revealed and shrugged. They dropped the conversation as they approached Chora's Den and the music was off, there was a sudden silence.

" Well_ that's _a trap." Kaidan muttered as they pulled weapons.

" Get ready, we're shooting our way through it looks like." Shepard said shaking his head.

" I swear we get into way too many shoot outs on the Citadel, it's not usually like this right?" Shepard asked Garrus who chuckled, his mandibles flickering to show a flash of pointed teeth.

" All the time actually." Garrus waved a hand for Shepard to go ahead of him as they rounded the corner into the bar.

The place lit up with gunfire, in the soft lighting it was hard to shoot anyone, especially with the cramped entryway and their pitiful cover from all angles. It was hard to distinguish enemy fire from Friendly fire. His shields took at least three shots from Kaidan as the Lt. took cover behind him. Vakarian stayed close to the door taking out three guards, one who thought a birds eye view was a good idea.

Kaidan strained his biotics lifting a Krogan who was charging toward them all. Shepard finished the Krogan with a few choice Shotgun blasts then he switched back to his pistol to finish the two guards behind cover in front of the backroom they guarded as they branched further into the bar. One shot to another conveniently place containment cell and the room was clear. Kaidan called it and only a few nicks to his armor at that. Shepard used a boost to get his shields back to full power as they continued on through closed doors.

The other side held two more men, not guards this time, factory workers it looked like.

" I just took out eighty men out there, do you really want to test me?" Shepard questioned exasperated. He didn't think getting proof on a Spectre was be easy, but Makers balls he didn't realize he'd be going between firefights so quickly either. The two made some excuse then rushed away mumbling about not getting paid enough.

" I never would have thought of that." Kaidan said with a frown.

"Not everything has to end up a firefight." Garrus pointed out.

" No, but it usually does." Shepard said himself shaking his head.

" Come on, the faster we find this Quarian, the faster we get our proof and take Saren down." Shepard said waving his gun for them to continue down the hall toward Fist's office. Shepard expected anything walking into the office, from Krogan's to Turrets, what he _wasn't _expecting was Fist lying dead in a pool of his own blood. Still Shepard had Garrus and Kaidan secure the office as he knelt to confirm what the back of Fist's head told him.

" Any chance he killed himself?" Kaidan asked curiously, but doubtful.

" People who kill themselves don't usually shoot themselves in the face." Shepard said rolling the body to check Fist for any information for them or for Emily Wong who he said he'd help out.

" It takes a cold person to shoot someone in the face." Kaidan said eyeing the mess of ruined skull that remained from what use to be a human face.

" Do you think it was the Quarian?" Garrus asked holding up a Drive that Shepard would probably give the Emily Wong for her story. Shepard nodded to Garrus for the Drive, but shrugged for the bit about the Quarian.

" Perhaps, perhaps not. Is there anything about where she is?" Shepard asked. He found some encrypted data on his omnitool. Shepard wasn't the best with Tech, Jane was a master at it, but then again they both had their own skill sets.

Vakarian you know some Tech skills?" Garrus came over and knelt to examine what Shepard showed him.

" A bit." Garrus said and shrugged.

" Can you decrypt this then? It probably tells us where our Quarian is, well hopefully." Shepard said and stood as Garrus took his place going through the data after a few moments he made a sound under his breath.

" Fist was working for the Shadow Broker, and the Quarian seemed to have a meeting with Fist, or rather she's going to be meeting some more of his thugs in a alley not to far from here, looks like the Shadow Broker wants her dead. She _must _have information then." Garrus said.

" Let's hurry before she winds up that way. Maybe she knows who killed Fist, or she did kill him." Shepard said and they left the office. His pistol let out a noise from his detection upgrade and he glanced down.

" Looks like reinforcements have arrived, get ready to fight our way out this time." Shepard said with disdain in his voice as they opened the door and he almost got shot before he took cover behind the barricade from before. There was at least a half dozen in the club again. A pistol shot rang out in the silence and then it went to hell again, gunfire filling the club making Shepard's ears ring.

Garrus picked off one with a sharp eye, or maybe it was that visor of his, Shepard really needed to get one of those if it allowed Garrus to hit the very top of a enemies head that barely peaked over cover.

Two humans mimicking Krogan came charging around the corner on a suicide run that ended with them caught in Kaidan's biotics and smashed together. They broke cover to move up further into the club. Garrus broke off around the bar to flank the rest, while Kaidan jumped the bar to get a better vantage. Shepard switched to his Assault rifle to bring their shield down then tossed a grenade over and took cover. He hit the release and and explosion deafened them all for a long moment and rocked the table he was using as cover.

There was a long silence and then a single shot before Garrus voice rung out.

" Clear." Shepard stood and surveyed the mess he'd created. He whistled.

"I feel bad for whosoever ownership this place falls to next. I'd hate to clean this mess up." Shepard said shaking his head. He slapped the bar.

" Better not be drinking on the job there Kaidan." Shepard teased as the Lt. stood brushing bits of roof and Maker knew what else, out of his black hair. He'd been closer to the explosion after all.

" A warning would have been nice Commander!" Kaidan said louder then necessary with a pained face as he put hands to his ears, no doubt his hearing suffering from proximity. Shepard slapped him on the back making him stumble and put his hands out to the bar to catch himself.

" If I warned you, I doubt they'd have sat and waited to be blown to bits there, Alenko." Shepard joked. Kaidan made a face that showed his hearing was coming back.

" Let's go rescue us a Quarian, hum...never thought I'd ever say that." Shepard said then shook his head as he moved them out of the club at last. He half expected more thugs to be waiting outside the club, but it was deserted.

When they got to the alley, the place was also empty, save for piles of green liquid.

" Damn it Jane." Shepard cursed under his breath. He put his rifle away and ran a frustrated hand over his face.

" How did she get here before us?" Kaidan asked.

" She must have been the one to kill Fist and got the information first." Shepard said and shook his head.

" Who is this now?" Garrus asked confused.

" Jane Shepard, my sister." Shepard said. Garrus made a face as if he knew exactly who that was.

" I see her reputation proceeds her again." Shepard said with a wave of hand.

" I...know _of_ her." Garrus said putting his gun away, a flick of mandibles and he rose a hand to his visor and adjusted it as if uncomfortable.

" I'm sure what you know isn't very...flattering." Shepard said rolling his eyes.

" No...probably not." Garrus said shaking his head.

" So what does she have to do with this? She's a Pirate isn't she?" Garrus said with a slight brow plate raise.

" She saved Nihlus on Eden Prime from Saren, she happened to be in the right place for once, we split ways in C-Sec, which is probably where she went with the Quarian, granted one of these goo piles isn't her." Shepard said eyeing the piles. Garrus hummed at that and eyed them.

" Pirates do love their chemical rounds." Garrus said then nodded for Shepard to follow him back to C-Sec which he did, dropping off the Drive from Fist's office to Emily Wong on his way past.

" So do you know who Jane's ' buddy' in C-sec is?" Shepard asked Garrus whose mandibles flickered at that. He made a uncomfortable sound he was sure Shepard couldn't hear, with his sub-harmonics.

" I'm not sure_ Buddy_ is the right word. I heard Chellick deals with the Pirate Shepard more then anyone else." Garrus revealed.

" Then she's more then likely with him. He's a Turian isn't he?" Shepard asked. Garrus frowned.

" Is that a problem?" Garrus asked puzzled. Shepard chuckled.

" No, Jane just likes Turians so I figured he'd have a ninety percent chance of being one." Shepard said and shrugged.

" I'm sure you know that fact though." Shepard pointed out. Garrus hesitated.

" I-I'd heard that the Pirate made a lot of the other detectives..._ uncomfortable_, but it wasn't necessarily just Turians." Garrus said with a wave of hand himself. Shepard snorted.

" Then I'll warn you now. Jane has a serious thing for your kind, so if you're smart you'd be wary of it. She likes them uptight and rigid, try to be..._not_ those things and you might not be _completely_ seduced." Shepard said seriously.

" Opposed to half-assed seduced?" Kaidan muttered under his breath but they head him and Shepard even chuckled.

" I'm surprised that a human would be so..._welcoming_ to Turians. There aren't many Human-Turian relationships, plus our races are so dissimilar." Garrus said uncertain. Shepard shrugged.

" What can I tell you Vakarian? Jane was always a weird one. She never does anything easily. Hell I'm not even sure she likes her own race. For as long as I've been around her I've never seen her remotely interested in any other race besides yours." Shepard said and then they were boarding an elevator to C-Sec.

Chellick's office was the last one on the left and inside held, as suspected, Jane and the Quarian who was holding up a wall.

Garrus eyed the human woman with vibrant colored hair, (that was what they called it right?) and tried to see something his kind would be attracted to. She was interesting to look at at least from what he could see of her back since she was sitting on the desk close to Chellick. The Turian detective looked annoyed at the Pirate since her hand was currently on the side of his face in a light caress. Garrus could hear the sub-harmonics and was surprised that Chellick wasn't as opposed as his face said.

Jane Shepard was saying something softly to Chellick as they entered. Chellick glanced up surprised they entered and swatted her hand away. She chuckled and turned to look at them. She had soft colored eyes like plants back on Palaven, a soft violet color, so unlike her brothers steel blue.

" About time you got here John, I thought I'd have to actually send you a _message_ to get you here." Her voice was surprisingly sultry. Garrus was trying to see what the fuss was about. What in this human would his kind find interesting? She was certainly colorful and she had a nice waist, she was a short little thing though. She moved like a predator as she slid from the desk and came over. Her hips swayed with her walk that drew his eyes. _That_ was...interesting.

" Enjoy beating me to the punch again Jane?" Jane Shepard rose red colored lips and shrugged.

" You were taking your sweet time John, I bypassed all that junk while you were looking for your C-Sec officer." She eyed Garrus as she said that with a once over that had her lips turning into a flash of bright white teeth. Garrus startled, his sub-harmonics nervous, her smile grew as if she could hear and understand, but that was impossible, so Garrus just figured she could read something his face was giving away.

" I went right to Fist and then found Tali'Zorah nar Rayya here." Jane made a thumb jerk toward the Quarian who put her omnitool away and glanced up.

" I figured it was so much safer here with _big _strong Turians to watch her." Jane said with a wink toward Garrus, his mandibles flickered at that. Shepard snorted at that and shoot his head.

" Her or _you,_ Jane?" He questioned and she grinned flashing those blunt teeth again.

" Tali, this is my brother John Shepard, there's a title in there somewhere too. John this is Tali. She has the proof you need to find the Jackass. Shall we go to Anderson now?" Shepard was more relieved then annoyed at her doing this herself.

" If you're done flirting with half C-Sec, then by all means." He commented to his sister, shaking Tali's outstretched hand.

" It's Commander John Shepard by the way." He said to Tali who nodded her head.

" It's nice to meet you Commander Shepard." She retorted. He gave her an easy smile that she seemed to relax at.

" Not _half _brother, I'm just jerking Decian around, he likes the leash." Jane said with a wicked grin. Chellick's sub-harmonics revealed what he thought of that, Garrus was too fascinated to be very uncomfortable with what they meant about the detective.

" Behave Jane or next time you're on the Citadel I won't be so _forgiving._" Chellick said. Jane laughed and winked back at him.

" You'd get bored without me Decian." She waved Shepard forward and they left. She wove her arm through Tali'Zorah's as they left. Shepard glanced back curiously. The Quarian didn't seem to mind, which meant Jane had already done it before. He glanced at his sister. He hadn't seen her around any other race but Turians, did she branch out to Quarians as well? Jane was pretty much comfortable around aliens he knew that, but she seemed more willing to touch the Quarian then she should someone she'd just met.

" Word to the wise Tali girl, if you plan to join my brother on his hunt, might want to stock up on some Dextro foods, Kryik was complaining about it last I was on the Normandy. You too C-Sec." Jane said glancing back at him. Garrus startled then nodded.

" You spend a lot of time with Nihlus did you Jane?" Shepard asked eyeing her with a knowing look. She sent him a quick grin.

" Are you kidding John? What's _not _to like about a badass Turian Spectre? You'd have to pull me away." She joked, or maybe she was serious, Garrus wasn't sure. Jane glanced back at Garrus with a look he wasn't sure he understood before she smirked at turned back ahead.

" Besides Turians have nice..._talons,_ it's hard to stay away when they're so _fun._" Garrus choked, Shepard just sighed, and Kaidan remained completely silent in the conversation.

**End chapter:**

**Welp there it is, another chapter for you all. Hope you enjoyed, if you did leave me a review. I'd like to hear what you guys think of this fic. **

**Kyo**


	3. Separated

**So here's the next chapter, I'm updating this and _Blood of the Beast _more because they're both written out already and it's just a matter of writing it out on here and posting. So it's easy and I'm trying to do this between work days, so it might get a little random for updates, but it will never be as long a wait as last time I promise that. So enjoy the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect! Bioware does. **

**Chapter three: Separated **

**Citadel:**

" 'And one step closer to the return of the Reapers'" The Audio provided by Tali'Zorah ended.

" The council needs to hear this, they won't be able to stay neutral now." Uldina said pleased with himself. Shepard crossed his arms.

" Set up a meeting with the Council." Anderson said, but Uldina was already well on his way out, leaving them alone. Anderson turned his eyes to Jane.

" I didn't think I'd see you again Jane." He said with a frown and a raised brow.

" You mean you didn't think you'd see me without bars between us." Jane corrected with a smirk. Anderson shrugged.

" Well if the galaxy is going to shit, I'd like to chase down the jackass causing it to go to shit, I mean I have a business to run." Jane said casually. Tali came forward at that.

" I'd like to join as well Shepard." Tali said determined. Shepard frowned.

" You've helped a great deal already Tali, but we can always use help, so you're welcome to come along." Shepard commented his approval, Tali relaxed as if expecting a fight on her hands to have to join the crew.

" Kaidan, why don't you head back to the Normandy and tell Joker, and then Escort Tali'Zorah to fetch some more Dextro rations for her and Garrus." Shepard said and handed Tali the Credits, she seemed surprised he just handed over money to her, but then she dipped her head in thanks as she and Kaidan turned to leave.

" Might want to mention the Krogan too before Joker pees himself!" Jane called after them. Shepard turned a surprised look to his sister.

" _What_?I stole his kill, seemed like the decent thing to do. I mean a glorified Krogan John, who would turn down that kinda firepower?" Jane asked seriously with a wave of hand. Shepard rolled his eyes.

Kaidan nodded and then he and Tali left, leaving Garrus, Jane, and Shepard with Anderson.

" We should get to the Council, I'm sure they'll want to hear from us and what proof we came up with." Anderson said waving them all out of the office. Shepard snorted.

" I'd like to shove their proof up their collective alien ass." Shepard muttered as they all filed out.

" What like they all only have one?" Jane joked and grinned at that imagery.

" It's the Council." Anderson said from behind them. Shepard chuckled.

**XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxX**

" Nifty, John Shepard, Spectre. I like it, you think they're consider the Hanar next? That'll be fun. ' _This one wishes for you to turn yourself in, do you wish to learn about the Enkindlers on the way to confinement?_'" Shepard shuttered at that.

" Please never use that voice again." Shepard said seriously, Jane chuckled.

" Speaking of, are you joining the crew too or are you coming to see us off?" Shepard asked turning to his sister as they stood in front of the Normandy in the Docking bay. Nihlus had joined them when they gave their proof to the Council and had followed them back as well.

" Actually she's here because I asked her to join me." Nihlus said speaking up for her. Shepard blinked at the fellow Spectre.

" What?" Shepard asked in confusion, he was prepared for her to join him on the Normandy, but not go with_ Nihlus._ Shepard wasn't sure he wanted his sister out of reach and with a Spectre to boot, did Nihlus really understand what he was getting into?

" We can cover more ground separately, if you're going after Liara T'soni, I suggest we save time by going to Feros. We can meet on Noveria." Nihlus offered. It was reasonable, but...Shepard had assumed Jane would come with him.

" _Just _you and Jane?" Nihlus rolled his shoulders in a shrug.

" We don't need a platoon John, we're going stealth." Jane said with a smirk. Shepard frowned at that.

" Do you have your ship?" Shepard asked, Nihlus nodded. Shepard put a hand over his eyes. He didn't like it, but it was reasonable.

" You're right, it will save time. Keep communications linked with the Normandy." Nihlus inclined his head in agreement.

" Don't get Tali girl or C-Sec killed John, I haven't gotten to spend nearly enough time with them." Jane said as Nihlus offered her his arm, she linked their arms and they turned and walked off. Shepard frowned after them.

" It's better then him being by himself." Anderson pointed out. Shepard sighed.

" True, but that's not what bothers me. I didn't expect Jane to want to help, I mean I expected it since she was still following us around, but I expected her to come on the _Normandy_, not join Nihlus. She doesn't follow orders, how are they going to work together?" Shepard asked waving a hand. Anderson smiled slightly.

" Nihlus is a lot like your sister Shepard, he doesn't play well with others and he doesn't follow orders to the letter. I think he was impressed with your sister, I mean hell, I was impressed to hear she tackled Saren to to save Nihlus' life. That was quick thinking and it paid off." Anderson pointed out.

" Nihlus could use someone at his back, especially if Saren wanted him dead." Shepard sighed.

" Maybe he should have made _her _a Spectre then, damn it Captain, I didn't want her involved with this. I mean It's good seeing her again after all these years, but this could get her _killed_." Shepard already felt like he'd ruined her life by not being there for her. Anderson grabbed his shoulder.

" It's better she's with the Spectre and helping save the galaxy then a pirate corrupting it, isn't it? I know it's not_ safe_, but it's probably safer then what she's been getting into being a criminal Shepard. Give Nihlus a chance, maybe he'll turn her around. It was a waste when she didn't join the Alliance, maybe we can still use her skills to stop Saren." Anderson provided. Shepard groaned.

**XxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxXXxxX**

**Normandy:**

" Aww, and I was just getting use to sleeping with one eye open." Joker teased. Shepard chuckled at that.

" Did she go back to...whatever she does?" Kaidan asked curiously. He was a little sad to see her go, she was a nice change to the scenery of an all Alliance personnel.

" Nihlus decided he wanted her...for backup that is." He added the last, the Spectre sure didn't seem upset with her constant flirting. Maybe that was what worried Shepard the most, that she'd hit it off with Nihlus, a Spectre was better then some criminal, but...

" I guess that saves Garrus from her Praying Mantis deathtrap." Ashley said with sarcasm.

Garrus was both relieved and slightly disappointed, he was curious about all the things he'd heard about Jane Shepard the Pirate.

" So, where are we headed Skipper?" Ashley asked changing the subject. Shepard glanced around the conference room at the crew, some he'd chosen and others he hadn't, as he looked to the large Krogan.

" Nihlus and Jane are going to Feros, we're going after Matriarch Benezia's daughter, Liara T'soni, once we find the Doctor we head to Noveria. Nihlus and Jane will meet us there." Shepard revealed glancing around his new crew.

**XxxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxX**

**Feros:**

" So...did you find that suspicious as hell or was it just me?" Jane Shepard questioned the Spectre with reddish plates and white colony markings at her side. Nihlus fluttered his mandibles.

" _Define_ suspicious, that was bordering on creepy as hell." Nihlus muttered. Jane chuckled and slapped his back.

" See, you should have relaxed more on the Normandy, maybe the crew wouldn't have been so wary around you then." Jane said with a smirk. Nihlus chuckled.

" Oh? I thought you liked stuffy Jane?" He teased with a purr of sub-harmonics he was sure she couldn't hear, let alone understand. She laughed. She moved around and glanced inside the door that opened upon their drawing closer.

" Found the Varren pack." She said motioning inside the room with her pistol.

" Don't give me that Kryik, I know _exactly_ how Turian's relieve stress." Nihlus flared his mandibles at that.

" Are you interested in sparing at all Jane, or should we just use the mats for something _else_ entirely?" She grinned his way then they rounded the door and into the Varren nest.

" We only need to kill the Alpha." Nihlus commented as her Chemical rounds disintegrated a Varren pointblank.

" Oh then I'll just call the big fella out then we can ignore all the little guys biting our legs off." Jane said sarcastically. He chuckled.

" Or we can kill the Alpha and run like hell." He suggested.

" Good plan Kryik, you play bait while I kill it. Varren like birds right?" He made a sound at her.

" Har har Shepard." He snarled, but lead the Varren away so she could clear a path toward the Alpha, she only needed one shot to make the Varren's head explode and then disintegrate under the toxicity of her Chemical rounds. They made a mad dash for the door. Jane leapt and rolled, popping back up as Nihlus slammed the doors closed, she applied a hack and the doors sealed closed so the Varren that were chasing didn't open the door with their movement as they slammed into the door at their backs.

" Well...that was_ fun_. You run better then you fly." Jane teased elbowing him. His sub-harmonic made a pleased rumble at that as he commented.

" I hope that was another bird joke and not a crack at my piloting." He retorted. She laughed.

" I'll let you sweat it out thinking about it." She joked.

" Damn." Nihlus said suddenly with a groan.

" You forget your purse in there Kryik?" She asked seriously.

" We forgot the damn power cells, I doubt we'll find any elsewhere." Nihlus said rolling his eyes upward. She wrinkled her nose.

" Shit, I told you we should have killed all the little blighters." Nihlus blew out a snort.

" The point is feeding the people _not_ starving them out." Nihlus pointed out then glanced her way.

" You could sneak in." He suggested suddenly. She gave him a look. She was very good with that tactical cloak of hers after all.

" Oh sure, like the Varren are just going to let us open the door, while waiting patiently on the other side?" She asked sarcastically.

" I'll knock them back as they charge, get in and I'll slam the door back into place, I'll wait and then open it for you again, make it quick." Jane snorted.

" Please, my middle name is 'Speedy'." He rose his brow plates at that.

" Really? I thought it was 'Smart-ass'" She laughed at him.

"Good, you'll be 'Jackass', and we'll name our squad, ' The Ass team.'" He gave her that Turian grin.

" Open the door." She said applying her tactical cloak.

**XxXxxxxxXxxXxxXxxXxxX**

**Therum:**

" I'm starting to think Feros may have been funner." Garrus muttered and clenched the safety bar tighter as Shepard narrowly avoided throwing them into the pool of lava. Shepard chuckled back at him.

" Bunch of ruins and no doubt a crap ton of Geth? Sure probably tons funner then turrets and those blighted Armatures." Shepard said as he ran over a few Geth shooting rockets at a barricade at them.

" I heard a lot of things about Spectre Kryik. He seems a lot like your sister Shepard." Garrus commented.

" Gezz Garrus, if you _really_ wanted to follow Nihlus and Jane all you had to do was ask. It hurts my feelings a little that Jane gets all the Turians though." Shepard joked. Garrus huffed at him.

" I was making on _observation_ Shepard. I didn't like all the red tape at C-Sec, but Kryik is walking a narrow road between you and Saren." Shepard glanced back somehow managing not to hit anything as he did.

" What like we're big, medium, small? Saren is the worse dismissing rules and wanting to kill everyone, I'm trying to save everyone while following rules, and Nihlus is just a little bad-ass with a touch of sarcasm Turian style?" Shepard questioned. Garrus frowned.

" You lost me." Kaidan said as the third passenger in the Mako.

" All I'm saying is, your sister and Kryik may get along_ too well_. I's good we came after Benezia's daughter is all I'm saying. They tend to shoot and ask questions later, how is that going to work with a human colony on Feros? Neither seem very diplomatic." Garrus said with concern, though his sub-harmonics were ringing with terror as they rammed a Armature and kept going as if it weren't there, landing inches from another pool of lava. He fishtailed the Mako, and their back end dipped off the edge dangerously close to the surface of the lava, before Shepard gunned the gas and jerked them back onto all tires.

He dodged a shot from another Armature they'd ignored from behind, as if he could somehow see behind them. Shepard glanced back not bothering to look where he was going, he didn't seem remotely worried, Garrus was terrified.

" You forget, Nihlus likes Humans, I think, I mean he seems to _like_ Jane fine." Shepard frowned thinking about that.

" I mean if you'll sleep with a human you must _not_ hate their race right?" Shepard asked eyes locking with Garrus', Garrus wasn't sure why he was asking _him,_ but he was more worried about that fact Shepard wasn't watching where he was going at all.

" Jane is a little cold when it comes to business, but she's not cruel. She rather bad-ass then be a good guy, but she knows how to play good guy when she needs to." Shepard said nodding, ignoring the dozen of Geth and the Colossus, between them and the tunnel. He dodged between them, maneuvering the Mako with more skill then Garrus thought it was even capable of.

Once they cleared all the enemies and had to hoof it, he turned to Garrus and shrugged.

" Besides, there probably isn't maybe people left after Saren and his Geth touched down. Place is overrun, they're probably outnumbered, so they'll stick to stealth. Shooting any survivors would draw too much attention." Garrus was unsure if that was a good enough reason to not slaughter innocent people, just because they weren't being difficult.

**XxXxXxxXxxXxXxXxXxxX**

**Feros:**

" Somehow, this doesn't surprise me." Jane commented as they shot out another node of the Thorian's.

" The Thorian, or mind controlling an entire colony for experimentation?" Nihlus asked watching the creepers rush them, exploding into green goo and bits as they destroyed the node.

" The first, the second I saw coming. I knew those colonist were crazy in a ' I'm being mind raped by a giant plant thing' type way." Jane said wiping goo from her armor in distaste. She loved her Colossus armor, it was damn expensive and hella worth it too. Nihlus chuckled.

" It surprises me how vicious humans are sometimes, but considering your species is considered the 'bullies' of the galaxy, I'm learning to live with being surprised about obvious things." Jane laughed.

" Says the ' War nerds' of the galaxy." He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. They came across another node, Nihlus kept the creepers at bay while Jane took out the node and the Creepers exploded. An Asari clone came charging and Jane hissed.

" Damn biotics!" She growled as she quickly dodged a throw from the Asari, it lifted Nihlus and tossed him back into a pillar, he grunted at the impact. She tackled the Asari despite not being a up-close-combat type person. She and the Asari clone went rolling through creeper goo much to Jane's fury. It turned her bright hair to dark red.

Jane elbowed the Asari in the jaw, brought her pistol up, and shot the clone under the chin, blood in purple splattered her face and, of course, her armor. Jane took Nihlus offered hand and he pulled her to her feet. She kicked the dead Asari off the edge of the tower so it fell past the Thorian into the pit. The ships decontamination was going to break when they went through it like this.

" You tackle a lot of people for an infiltrator, are you sure you aren't a Vanguard?" Nihlus questioned as they moved up. He hoped there wasn't a lot of Nodes left.

" Stuff it Kryik, Damn Asari...thing." Jane mutter not bothering to try to wipe at her armor and the goo there.

" Are you against biotics or Asari?" Nihlus asked as they marched onward.

" Both, I have nothing against biotics as people, but I hate fighting them. I just don't like Asari in general. Other then the fact they think they're superior because they live a thousand years longer then others, and they can mate with any race, it's just, because some people find them attractive that doesn't mean _every_ creature in the galaxy does. There are other reasons, but those are the top." Jane said shaking her head. Nihlus frowned.

" Are you Pro-Turian and Anti-Every one else?" Nihlus asked curiously.

" No I like Quarians, I like pretty much _every_ race, minus the Asari. Every race has it's issues granted, but the Asari just particularity annoy me the most." She shook her head.

" Anyone who thinks Asari are the most beautiful race has never seen Quarians outside their suits, or seen the beauty of a Krogan charging into battle with nothing to lose and everything to gain." Jane sighed.

" Have _you_ seen Quarians outside their suits?" Nihlus asked curiously.

" Never had a Quarian lover Kryik?" She asked surprised. He gave her a long look.

" Just because my race and Quarians are both Dextro and have a tendency to be together, doesn't mean every Turian has been with a Quarian." Nihlus pointed out, she shrugged.

" I suppose not. Well it's dangerous for them, they have to prepare months in advance to keep themselves from death, it's a risk. You're playing Russian roulette with your life every time you take off the suit let alone to be with a Levo for recreation. I think the fact you'd risk your life to be with someone is a worthy goal." Jane shrugged.

" Asari don't work for it, they just expect to shake their tits and ass and have people fall at their feet." Jane clucked her tongue.

" Is there a race you haven't been with?" Nihlus asked curiously. He'd been with people too, and not all of them Turian, but he was curious, she seemed to like his race, and Quarians, but where did she draw the line between curiosity and xenophile?

" Many, I generally stick to Turian, Quarian, and once a Krogan." Jane said and nodded. He relaxed, though with a frown.

" Krogan?" He wondered how_ that_ had worked.

" I still don't remember all of _that _experience trust me, but I've never been with Drell, Salarian, Hanar, Vorcha, or Batarian." She said just to name a few.

" Why?" Nihlus questioned, she glanced his way as they walked more stairs taking down even more creepers along the way.

" I'm open minded and all, but three different race are probably enough for me. Learning about Krogan Testicles, the Quarians immune systems, and Turian's protective plates are enough, believe me. I was offered to try Drell once, but I thought it would bee too dangerous. I tend to not want to hallucinate just on oral contact, and there happens to be a lot of _that _in my experience." Nihlus fought a shutter at the imagery.

" What did you do to prepare yourself for the other races, look up interracial porn on the extranet Jane Shepard?" Jane laughed at that.

" Don't sound so much like my mother Kryik, exact words and all. Sometimes I did. I couldn't just walk right into it, not with such complications that could arise between both parties, allergies and such." They approached the last node and took it out. The Thorian's grip finally gave and it tumbled down into the pit. The crash shook the entire place. Jane sent a Incinerate down after it, the Thorian lit in flames making a horrible screeching sound, Nihlus gave her a slow look. She just shrugged.

" Can't be too sure." She said seriously. He supposed she had a point. They were ready to head topside when one of the egg like growths on the wall broke open and spilled out a Asari.

" Well, that explains how Asari are made." Jane muttered under her breath. Nihlus tried not to, but a laugh escaped him. The Asari staggered to her feet.

**XxXxxXxXxXXxxX**

**Normandy:**

" Was that interesting enough for you Garrus?" Shepard asked panting in the Normandy's airlock as the decontamination flashed over them. Garrus chuckled then coughed to clear the smoke and dust from his chest.

" It was certainly hot enough, even Palaven isn't that bad." Garrus said shaking his head as he stood.

" We should get cleaned up, and hydrated, especially you Doc, no offense, but you kinda smell worse then Pyjack shit." Liara winced, but nodded.

" If you'll point me to the showers?" She asked wrinkling her nose at her own stench.

" Commander, Nihlus is hailing you in the conference room. Would you like me to patch him through?" Shepard sighed in part relief, part annoyance that he couldn't get cleaned up first.

" Not yet, I need out of my armor first, in the least." Shepard said and motioned for Liara to go in first as the doors opened onto the Normandy.

" Kaidan, can you escort the Doctor to Chakwas and the Ladies showers?" Shepard asked then turned to Garrus who fell into step at his side.

" When you talk to Kryik can I sit in?" Garrus spoke up. Shepard frowned.

" Feeling nosy about how the other side lives?" Shepard teased him, Garrus seemed puzzled.

" I thought it might be useful to translate the Sub-vocals you can't hear Shepard." Shepard laughed.

" I was juts joking, you can come Vakarian, try not to enjoy Nihlus and Jane too much. I'd hate to lose the only Turian I got." Garrus made a sound at that.

" Shameful Shepard, I know the ladies like me better, but there's no need to feel obligated to keep me aboard." Shepard choked and turned a grin his way.

"Vakarian, the lady killer, that has a fun ring to it. I keep you around for more then your Turian looks Garrus, you're the best shot we've got, minus me of course, and I think I need you at my back. I still half expect Wrex to throw me off a cliff." Garrus smiled, flashing pointed teeth.

" Hell Shepard, I think he will." Shepard chuckled.

**End chapter:**

**Well there is that chapter done. It's only nine pages, but I had to hurry and write it down, so at least it's almost ten pages. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Tell me what you'd like to happen in this fic, it's complete with a sequel I'm working on, it's just a matter of typing it out on here and posting for you guys, but still I can add things or change things up since it's still early on. **

**A few things to mention since people have asked.**

**This isn't_ just _a JaneXNihlus fic, it's a Jane and whoever I want her with, kind of fic. As for John, I hadn't decided, perhaps Tali or Liara, or maybe I'll spice things up and it'll be JohnXKaidan? Who knows? Send me some reviews telling me you guys opinions. :D**

**I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Until next time.**

**Kyo**


	4. Personal Talks

**Welp, here we go with the next chapter, sorry it took me so long, I only get two days off where I can get the chance to update and I avoided doing it two weeks ago, so I decided I needed to get it done now, so hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect!**

**Chapter four: Personal Talks**

**Normandy:**

Nihlus looked just about as tired as Shepard did, which considering the difference in race and thus facial expressions, was really saying something.

" Since you're alive, I assume mission accomplished and you found out what the Geth and Saren were after on Feros?" Shepard asked trying to avoid his need to rub the back of his neck, it was covered in dust from the cave in and sweat from the extreme heat. He felt sticky and gross all over, he needed a bath and would like nothing more then to grab a shower and sleep for the next few hours, that probably wasn't going to happen, but hey, a man could hope.

The only thing he and Garrus had gotten off was their armor which they briefly cleaned, Shepard also handed his weapons off to Ashley to clean. Garrus sat in one of the many seats in the conference room, listening into the conversation, mostly just to hear what Nihlus wasn't outright saying with Sub-harmonics.

Garrus could hear uncertainty from Nihlus and that he had unpleasant news, that set Garrus sitting straighter with a quick look to Shepard who seemed to understand what Garrus meant and he tensed up as well.

" I assume your mission went well too? Did you find Benezia's daughter on Therum?" Nihlus asked in return. Shepard nodded in confirmation.

" We did, and a whole crap ton of Geth and a Krogan who were trying to take her out. She seems remotely trustworthy." Shepard said and shrugged.

" I'll keep an eye on her just in case. So what did you find on Feros?" Shepard repeated. Nihlus sighed and rotated his shoulders slightly as if he was tense and trying to ease himself. That made Shepard nervous.

" More Geth of course, ExoGeni was using a creature named ' The Thorian' to mind control the entire colony of Zhu's Hope. A few suspicious files also linked us to a few planets we should check out while we have the chance." Nihlus paused and Garrus could hear a faint change in his sub-harmonics, he was amused and pleased at the same time.

" Jane destroyed a Geth ship too." Shepard choked at that. Nihlus mandibles flickered in a slight grin at his reaction, even Garrus was surprised.

" How's she do that?" Shepard asked puzzled. Nihlus chuckled.

" She's clever." Garrus could heard affection in Nihlus' voice that surprised him. Maybe Garrus was just curious how quickly the Spectre could be won over by a pirate, that should concern anyone right? The effectiveness of a pirate in swaying a _Spectre_ to their side?

Maybe Garrus was just thinking about where that affection would lead the Spectre with Jane Shepard, and what he knew about her in general, especially concerning his race. He had looked up more on Human physiology, he really had no idea_ that _was what humans looked like with no clothes, all flesh with no plating at all. Soft looking and just...with it all hanging out.

Garrus shuttered. He wasn't even sure how female humans and males of his race could... be intimate together, he hadn't looked that far into it, maybe he would, just to limit his mind wondering on it at awkward times, like now. He forced himself to focus on the conversation that had progressed without him.

" Where is Jane anyway?" Shepard asked concern in his voice, it was easy to see Shepard's worry, hear it in his voice and see it in his posture. Garrus must have missed Nihlus entire rundown of the mission on Feros and Shepard's return report on Therum.

Garrus perked up at the sub-harmonics from Nihlus, there was uncertainty and nervousness like he wasn't sure he should tell Shepard or not. Garrus didn't have to even mention it, Shepard seemed to read his body language well enough, or maybe he was getting use to Nihlus' expressions.

" We found an Asari, her name is Shiala. She's one of Matriarch Benezia's. She had a lot to say about Saren and Benezia, Shepard." Nihlus said instead. Garrus frowned. Didn't he realize that avoiding the topic of Shepard's sister wasn't going to make the Commander forget his question? Though news about finding a clue to more about Saren was a decent lure, Garrus could see Shepard wasn't biting. His back was tense, and that was all Garrus needed to see to know Shepard was annoyed.

" Where is my sister _Nihlus_." It wasn't really a question, it was a demand. There was a difference in her having run off when she was sixteen and having her join a war, a war Shepard was part of as well. They may not have spoken for a long time, but he clearly still cared about her. Garrus tried to imagine Solona in Jane's place, off with a notorious Spectre like Kryik. Garrus winced, yeah that didn't sit well with his protective instincts either.

" I'm right here John, Makers ass,_ keep it down_." Jane slid into the hologram. Nihlus wrapped a supportive arm around her waist and she sort of just collapsed against his chest, very worn out. She looked like she was in pain. Garrus had seen enough drunk humans to read that hangover like expression.

" Don't you look rough, what happened? Were you injured?" Shepard didn't need sub-vocals to show how concerned he was about her.

" Na, just a little mind raped." Shepard went rigid.

" What!" He hissed out of clenched teeth, his fist clenching at his side.

" The Asari Shiala had a Cipher, it's why Saren wanted the Thorian, well that and to understand the mind control I assume, the Thorian was apparently around long before the Prothean's." Jane said and put a hand to her forehead and groaned. Nihlus put his hand to her head gently with a frown, his mandibles pulling down.

Garrus kept looking at the intimate position, Nihlus had his talon curled around Jane's hip the other he slid off her head to her shoulder and rested it there as she leaned back against him. Garrus found it strange, though fascinating, at the same time.

Both had time to clean up at least, they were back in casual clothes, and Jane's...what was in called again..hair? It was wet and down around her instead of half pulled back out of the way.

" And what's this cipher and how did the Asari get it from the Thorian?" Shepard asked.

" We can share stories later, the Asari knows the Cipher, which is the key to understanding that messed up vision John. It can help." Jane said her violet eyes pleading slightly. Garrus could tell she was just as concerned for her brother as he was her. It was nice to know that even if they hadn't seen each other in several years, siblings always cared for one another.

" Perfect, Noveria?" Shepard asked in suggestion on where to meet next.

" The Citadel, we can't just bring Shiala along." Nihlus corrected.

" We'll meet you there, now what's wrong Jane?" Shepard asked with narrowed eyes, Garrus could tell this because he had come closer so he could see Shepard as well as Nihlus and Jane, he could only read so much from Shepard's back. Garrus eyes Jane's hologram so close to Nihlus, she pressed her red lips close together, she didn't plan on saying anything to him about why she had that pained expression. Nihlus reading her intent squeezed her hip with his talons. She tilted her head back to eye Nihlus upside down and wrinkled her nose at him, it was kind of...cute. Garrus shook his head.

" Fine Kryik." She said on a heavy sigh.

" But don't think I'll forget it." Nihlus didn't seem too bothered with what she said, which meant she probably didn't mean anything by it.

" I didn't trust her to not fry your head while in there John, or you know try some mind control herself." Shepard sighed.

" What did you do Jane?" He asked warily.

" She asked for the cipher and received it." Nihlus finished.

" What!?" Shepard roared, it started Garrus, Nihlus too since he jerked against Jane, who didn't seem bothered at his roar other then to wince and put her hands over her ears in pain.

" _Damn it John, _I've got the worst headache, keep it down." She hissed shutting her eyes in pain.

" What were you thinking?! _She_ could have killed you! The _Cipher _could have killed you! _I'll _kill you!" John finished frustrated and angry, mostly because he was shaking so much from the fear of losing her. Garrus knew that well, if it was his own sister putting herself in harms way for him, he'd feel the same way.

She scowled at her brother, her expression displeased.

" What did you want me to do John? Wait and see if she was still Saren's puppet and use those freaky ass Asari mind rape powers to fry your brain? I'm expendable John you're_ not_. The galaxy needs you to stop Saren and the Reapers." Despite Shepard's displeasure at her lack of self worth, he was sort of pleased, Garrus could tell, of her caring about his safety like that, knowing she cared too.

" You are _not _expendable Jane," and because he could see the refusal on her lips, he added, " _Neither _of you are, and none of my crew is. I need all of you to help me. One man can't stop sentient machines from wiping out the entire galaxy,_ despite_ my charming personality and devilishly good looks." Jane laughed at his words, relaxing slightly. Garrus hadn't noticed she had tensed, probably because she was stiff in pain anyway.

" Hey don't hate on me sister." She rolled those violet eyes.

" What did the cipher show you?" Garrus asked curiously speaking up for the first time. Her eyes looked around, but he knew she only could see Shepard, so he stepped up so his hologram would appear with Shepard's on Nihlus' ship.

She brightened when she saw him, with a flash of white teeth from behind red painted lips. Garrus didn't understand why she was so happy to see him, they barely knew each other after all.

" C-Sec good to see you're alive! How is Tali girl?" Shepard smiled at that, as he stood next to Garrus.

" She's fine, Jane." Shepard said slightly amused. Jane nodded looking relieved.

" Good. Good." Then she nodded to herself, wincing slightly and putting a hand to her head to stop the pain that seemed to come at the movement.

" Honestly C-Sec, I've got _no clue_. I felt it, and it hurt like a Krogan headbutt, but I don't feel different and I don't _magically_ know all things Prothean." Jane said shrugging.

" When we meet up, Liara can see what she can do. Perhaps it's locked up? Maybe it doesn't work that way since you didn't have the beacon zap you too?" Jane chuckled.

" What an elegant way of saying that John." She teased. He shrugged.

" I do what I can." He joked back.

" What like a cipher for a cipher?" Garrus questioned glancing at Shepard.

" Heck if I know how this thing works." Shepard said and shrugged again.

" Whose Liara? Not the Matriarchs daughter?" Shepard nodded at his sister and she groaned.

" Damn Asari." She cursed.

**XxxXxxXxXxxXxxXxxXxxX**

**Citadel:**

" Tali!" Were Jane Shepard's first words upon greeting her brother and his two companions. He wisely brought Garrus and Tali to fetch his sister and Nihlus. The Quarian made a surprised sound as Jane embraced her.

Garrus heard something from Nihlus that they didn't because Garrus seemed surprised all of a sudden. Shepard looked at Nihlus to see what it was, but he couldn't hear anything, and Nihlus didn't look different, though those Turian expressions were hard enough to read.

" Oh Tali'Zorah it's good to see you." Jane said pulling back but keeping her hands on Tali's hips. The stance was casual, but the grip on the Quarian's hips was clear in intent. Shepard's brows rose in surprise. He'd not known Jane liked Quarians that way, nor did he realize Jane didn't care about gender, though it shouldn't surprise him. Nothing like social rules, would stop Jane.

Tali for her part, didn't seem to mind Jane's touch, or she just allowed it. Shepard wasn't sure.

" Jane, good to see you too. I volunteered to come greet you." Garrus huffed at the Quarian's words and all eyes went to him.

" Every one except _Williams_ volunteered, we simply won out from preference." Garrus said amused. Shepard chuckled at him.

" Jane's preference lady killer, you kill my charm when we go out. Since we're only meeting my sister and Nihlus I thought she'd might come more willingly with you and Tali, whom she_ obsessively_ asks about over every com call." Jane didn't even bother looking embarrassed about it, just turned her violet eyes to Tali and her red lips turned into a wicked smirk.

" What can I say John? I _enjoy _Tali'Zorah nar Rayya's company, very much." She didn't need sub-vocals to show her intent, even Garrus could read it in her voice, but Tali apparently didn't get the underlining words, or didn't mind, because a laugh bubbled out of the small Quarian.

" I enjoy your company too Jane." Tali said brightly.

" I hope we can spend more time together this time, it was cut short before you could tell me more about yourself." Tali said excited, she apparently enjoyed Jane's company, but who wouldn't? His sister had a strange allure despite her rough words and personality, something else lured you closer to want to know more. It was strange but that was why Shepard always thought she'd be a good political leader or official. A leader of _something_, she had that type of aura that made you want to follow her to hell, even if you know it'd likely get you killed.

People said he had the same allure, that people followed him to hell, and his crew was doing just that, but that was _loyalty_, not raw talent on his part. Shepard had seen it when she was younger, once on the Citadel he'd seen her lure people to do things for her without really wanting to. She would make a very persuasive politician but she had no patience for it apparently.

" I'd like that." Jane said, and there Garrus was looking at Nihlus again as if he heard something. Was Nihlus upset with Jane's flirting with someone else? He had to get over that, if Nihlus didn't understand Jane at this point it was never going to work between them.

For as long as he'd known Jane, he knew she wasn't the type to let anyone tell her what she could and couldn't do, and she wasn't one to be tied down. Whatever she was doing with Nihlus he had to realize it was a fling. Jane would never join Nihlus in his Spectre work, once they dealt with Saren she'd go back to pirating, and they'd be on opposite sides again. What did Nihlus expect would happen with Jane?

Shepard startled when he realized Jane wasn't with Tali anymore, and look around for her, to see Nihlus mandibles turn down then he tightened them close to his face, Shepard didn't need to hear his sub-vocals to know he was displeased, and Shepard already knew why, as he turned to glance back at Jane who was standing seriously close to Garrus. Shepard almost felt bad for Garrus, the poor guy looked like he didn't know what to do with Jane suddenly in his arms, or close enough to be.

**XxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxXxxX**

Garrus sucked in a startled gasp as her nimble fingers brushed the sides of his waist, he could feel her touch so much more then he should through his armor. That armor shouldn't let him feel _any_ touch like that at all, maybe it was more a mental thing, he knew she was touching him, and his mind told him he could feel it. _Yeah, Garrus you think of logical things instead of mind the intimate touch of the red haired woman close enough to smell her soft scent._

His mandibles fluttered at her in surprise and slight shock that she'd suddenly gotten so close without him realizing it.

" Good to see you C-Sec, John says you steal all the ladies, I see why." She teased. He floundered for a moment at that. What was proper etiquette for humans anyway? Her hands were more firm against his waist now, making him hesitate at where to put his own hands, she was so close he had to put them _somewhere_. While he fumbled for where to put his hands, she turned her attention to her brother.

" Where do you find_ time _to have a competition to flirt with woman_ anyway,_ John?" She joked with her brother. Shepard chuckled.

" Any place we can find Sister, I mean you find the time, why can't we?" He teased back. Jane chuckled and since she was so close he felt it against his chest. Before he could find a place to put his hands she moved away, her hands sliding against his waist as she left, he shuttered, and was slightly disappointed at the loss of contact and her scent under his nose, so he blamed that split second of weakness on his words.

" You don't want to spend more time_ getting to know_ me Shepard?" He spoke up as she moved back. She tensed up surprised and turned surprised violet eyes to him. Garrus heard the displeasure from Nihlus, who knew he could hear, he didn't look up to the other Turian, he knew he shouldn't have said it. She chuckled though.

" Are you propositioning_ me_, C-Sec, or_ John_?" She joked easing the tension that had filled the air. Garrus choked. He blamed those damn vids he found that he'd blurted that out.

Shepard came over and slapped Garrus on the back.

" We're friends Vakarian, but our friendship ends there. Besides I think I've had enough of Nihlus' spikes up my ass to last a lifetime." Nihlus snorted at that, but seemed amused. Garrus looked between Nihlus and Shepard in confusion.

Was Shepard and Nihlus...How's that work with Jane too?

Seeing his confusion Shepard saved him and laughed, slapping his shoulder as it turned into a grasp as he shook Garrus slightly.

" Hey hey, whose watching too much porn besides Joker on the ship Vakarian? Too much looking for explanations for what I tease you about?" Shepard teased, Garrus' mandibles fluttered in embarrassment and nervousness.

" He wasn't _serious_ about Kryik's spikes C-Sec, he was joking since Kryik stalked John all over the Normandy when he was on-board." Jane blissfully explained, Garrus relaxed slightly. Jane had come closer again, she put a hand on the opposite shoulder that her brother had just let go of, and peered up at him with those ridiculously colored eyes.

" Don't sound so _nervous_ C-Sec, a Lady-kill such as yourself, flirting must come naturally." She teased, he startled.

" Sound?" Shepard asked confused. She reached up and touched Garrus' throat, and felt the vibrations, he went stiff in surprise. He had been protesting how nervous she made him with his sub-harmonics. She couldn't hear them let alone understand them, could she?

Nihlus look puzzled as well, so he hadn't known, but he believed that was clearly where she was leading the conversation.

" You can hear?" Garrus asked mandibles fluttering in confusion. She grinned and took her hand away, but still stood uncomfortably close.

" You can hear those Sub-vocal things?" Shepard demanded with raised brows.

" How?" He added narrowing his eyes. Garrus wanted to know that as well.

" Shortly after I left home I was in an explosion between gangs on Omega, took my hearing with it. A Doctor named Mordin patched me up and gave me back my hearing with cybernetics, well he gave me better hearing that is to say, I can hear things I never could, footsteps, heartbeats if I listen close enough, and Sub-harmonics." She explained. Shepard had tensed when he heard about the accident.

" How do you understand the meaning?" Nihlus asked clearly curious as well. She eyed him behind her, then smirked.

" I had Turian friends believe it or not, not all of them were lovers. When they realized I could hear your Sub-vocals they taught me to understand them. Makes it so much easier when dealing with you lot." She joked with a wink back at him.

" Which is how I know propositions don't_ usually_ sound nervously concerned." Garrus hummed at her, she was right. He hadn't meant that to come out. It made him relax, at least he didn't have to explain himself.

She smiled up at Garrus and patted his chest with her small gloved hands.

" Maybe when you're not so nervous eh C-Sec?" She winked at him then moved away letting him relax. Nihlus snorted under his breath, which wasn't wasted on anyone since they could all hear it.

" Back to the Normandy?" Shepard asked. Jane smirked.

" Sure, Kryik can fill you in on the mission details, and I'll fetch the Asari." Nihlus shot her a look and his sub-harmonic said clearly he didn't think that was a good idea.

" Don't chastise me Kryik, if she ends up with an extra hole, it won't be like the Asari don't know what to do with it." Nihlus sighed at her in a long suffering kind of way. Garrus was surprised, was that a sexual _or _racial comment? Or both?

" Garrus go with her, I'd hate for her to kill someone on the Citadel in plain sight, and ruin our chance at getting this cipher." Shepard said shaking his head. Garrus glanced at Nihlus but then turned to follow after Jane who was already walking off alone. Tali looked up a Shepard curiously.

" Does Jane not like Asari?" She questioned, Garrus heard her comment but not Shepard's answer as he caught up with Jane.

**XxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxX**

" Gezz ask your questions and stop the obvious sub-vocals C-Sec." Garrus looked a tad embarrassed, or was it sheepish, but the hum from his sub-vocals stopped.

" Well...I was just...curious." He commented awkwardly. She glanced over as they walked the docks to Nihlus' ship.

" About?" She questioned with a raised brow. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

" I watched a few vids for research, but didn't find any with um...Turian and human...relationships." Jane cast him a slow look.

" C-Sec did you_ really_ look up human porn?" She asked with an amazed face. Garrus' mandibles practically did the salsa and his sub-harmonics went crazy in panic. She laughed and slapped him on the back calming him slightly.

" I was just...I couldn't ask...Hum, I did this wrong." He said after a embarrassing fumble for words. He glanced over and found her violet eyes on him and her red lips turned up in amusement. She wasn't offended so he relaxed.

" _Relax_ C-Sec, I was just teasing you. Ask your questions freely, I'll answer them. I've had a lot of Turian associates, and Krogan, Drell, occasionally curious humans and Salarians, who asked the same questions of me." He relaxed slowly.

" You must have realized there are others..._closer _to home, why Turians? How does that even work?" Garrus questioned.

" How does sex usually work C-Sec?" She joked then shook her head.

" We aren't much different, you've got the same relative parts human men do, though Turians are plated and their sexual organs are inside until the time arrives when they part the plating and come forth." Jane explained, he felt embarrassed she was talking about this, _so casually_, but also fascinated by it as well. She knew so much about his kind and was so easy to talk about it. From what he knew of humans they were awkward with this, talking about it anyway.

"We could get into the actual details if you'd like." She said seriously. He blinked. She'd actually explain if he wanted? He half _did_ want to know. She gave him a wicked grin that he blinked at.

" Or it'd be easier to_ show_ you, but it'd take too long and John would be pissed. I can send you a few vids if you'd like. Mordin found them for me when he realized I was more interested in Turians then human men. He gave me a lot of information about it actually." She said with a smile. He relaxed again, he never could seem to relax fully before she said something that had him tensing up again. Perhaps it was best to treat her like he did Shepard, that everything she said was just joking.

" I'd like that." Garrus agreed, and she smiled and opened her Omni-tool tapping a few buttons then he got a ping on his own and he opened it curiously. She wasn't _kidding_, there was a lot of details about Human and Turian physiology and compatibility, and a few vids as well. He wondered if he should tell Shepard his sister sent him Human-Turian porn or not.

" Thanks." He said off hand as he closed his Omni-tool. She grinned at him.

" I'm happy to help C-Sec, and yes I do carry that casually around. I'm asked more then you'd think. Besides Mordin supplied positions too, and they're fun to try." She joked.

" With Kryik?" He asked. She was surprised and blinked over at him as they continued walking. She eyed him for a moment then relaxed and smiled.

" Strange right? I didn't think I'd be shagging a Spectre either to tell the truth. He's like a universal cop." She laughed to herself.

" That doesn't mesh well with wanted criminal and pirate does it? I think he just amused me. Sparatus seems to be pissed that I'm traveling with his little errand runners too." She grinned like it made her happy to anger the Turian Councilor.

" What is your problem with the Turian Councilor, you like Turians don't you?" Garrus asked with a confused look. She chuckled.

" Sparatus has been on my ass for years C-Sec, he shouldn't concern himself with little ol' me and my pirate ring, but ever since I messed with a few of his Spectres and his ' secret' plans and sabotaged some of his deliveries to his mistress..." She listed off on her multiple fingers then shrugged.

" It's fun this way, to have that hard ass chasing me down with his cute little toys." She grinned.

" So are you sleeping with Kryik just to piss of Sparatus?" Garrus asked with a frown. She blinked then laughed.

" Like I need a_ reason_ to be with Kryik? No, though that fact it will, kind of makes it better don't you think?" She joked then shrugged.

" Why are you with Kryik anyway? I mean...it can't end well." She smiled at him slightly.

" I know that C-Sec. Criminals don't get happy endings you know. This thing with Kryik has been fun, but it's just like every other person I've been with, it'd end and we'll see each other occasionally and hook up over the years, it's always that way. It's not the first time I've been with someone in the law either." She said which reminded him of Chellick, but he was already invading way too deep into her life, he wasn't sure he should ask...hell with it.

" Chellick?" He asked. She seemed surprised, then confused.

" What about-" She paused then blinked.

" No!" She said a little too quickly, which started Garrus.

" I didn't mean Chellick, I mean law in general. Not just C-Sec. But no, _never_ Chellick, we kind of flirt, but it's not a serious kind. I'm not stupid C-Sec. Chellick would probably get me arrested and under Sparatus talons." She shook her head.

" So you know you and Kryik can't work out but you tried anyway?" Garrus asked puzzled.

" Why not? I know how Turians relieve stress before missions, think of it like that." Garrus frowned, his mandibles flicking out then down.

" You don't trust that?" She asked eyeing him. He shook his head slightly.

" If it was really like that, you'd stay friends, companions, teammates, you two are clearly lovers. It's not the same. When you relieve stress it's not a continuous thing, it's like...I was with a teammate once before a mission, we spared in the ring and then took the bonus round to her chambers, the next day we were back to being teammates and that was it, we didn't treat it any different then...scratching an itch." He tried to explain. She frowned.

" It's because it's just us on the ship C-Sec." He shook his head.

" I see how Kryik looks at you, I don't think it's the same as you're trying to make it out to be, not for him." Jane stiffened then looked away, watching the places she walked as if the ground were more interesting then what was going on around her. She stayed silent like that for a long while then looked up.

" That's a problem." Was all she said, but he glanced sharply at her.

" Why? I mean other then the fact he's a Spectre and you're a pirate?" Garrus asked. Jane shook her head and crossed her arms looking up at the ceiling of the docking port.

" I've only once had a lover like that C-Sec and he gave me these scars." She touched the one at the top of her lip and over her brow, it was almost the exact same on Shepard, the eye brow scar anyway. There were fainter scars down her throat. They seemed like talon marks. He frowned.

" What happened?" He was sure at this point he was past worrying he'd offend her with as many thing as he'd asked crossing lines he never had before.

" He was sent to kill me, he almost did. I killed him." She said in turn. Garrus eyed her face, it was trying very hard to stay blank, but there was a flash of pain in her strange colored eyes.

" You loved him." She flinched.

" He was my first lover." She said simply. Garrus startled. Her first lover was a Turian?

" After that there were many others who tried the same thing, sleeping with me to kill me, or get closer in just to betray me, I got better at seeing through them as time passed, but the first time was a lesson, I don't let anyone that close anymore. That's why it's always casual and that's why Kryik is a problem if you're right." Garrus frowned.

" I'm just saying what I've seen, don't take my word Jane." He said holding up his hands. He didn't want Nihlus mad at him if he was wrong, though Garrus knew what he heard and saw after all. She nodded.

" Let's talk about something else." Garrus said instead, though he was the one who brought it up. She nodded at his attempt to change the conversation.

" What do you want to talk about C-Sec?" She questioned.

" Let's talk about why you don't like Asari." He pointed out. She snorted.

" Do I need a valid reason that needs to be said?" She seriously wondered. Garrus hummed.

" Have you only ever been with Turians? You were hitting on Tali weren't you?" He asked since she didn't seem to want to talk about Asari, he didn't blame her, one had just entered her mind. That couldn't be comfortable.

" No, I've been with more then just Turians, I was with Quarian, and a Krogan once, but I haven't branched past those just yet." She joked.

" You've been with a Krogan?" He asked incredulously. She laughed.

" You gave me the same look Kryik did when I mentioned it." She said laughing. Garrus blinked. Was it any wonder? He hadn't heard of Krogan ever being with humans before. What was the point? Krogan wanted children, the only other race that could give them any were Asari.

" He was a friend of mine, I don't have many friends I can trust, so he's special." She said and shook her head as she recalled something that made her smile. It was a smile Garrus wasn't sure he'd seen before. Soft and pleasing.

" We needed to blow off stream before a run, having a Krogan on a ship for as long as that job took us, was making him extremely restless, I offered to help him relax." She explained. He nodded, He understood that, though Garrus was surprised why a Krogan would bother.

" I'm still hazy about the whole thing actually." She confessed amused. He didn't doubt it.

" I think I blacked out after, I mean it don't remember much of it, I do remember four of something humans only have two of." She joked. Garrus snorted, he knew what she meant.

" So I tend to stick with Turian and Quarian, I mean why stop a good thing you know?" She asked. He didn't, not really, but he nodded anyway.

" Which do you prefer then?" He questioned, he figured it was Turians, but he shouldn't assume anything with her, besides it wasn't like there were many Quarians on the Citadel anyway, let alone willing to sleep with a human and possibly die. She made a hand motion that meant ' either or', he recalled Shepard doing it on occasion.

" It's actually harder to persuade a Turian sometimes then a Quarian, most of the ones I met, Quarian that is, are on their pilgrimage, and young, that means they're up for adventure, and whats more _adventurous _then me right?" She joked. He fluttered his mandibles trying not to smile.

" If you're so _adventurous_ why not try other races? Drell? Batarian? Vorcha?" He joked. She laughed at that.

" I said _Quarians_ are adventitious, but yeah I see what you mean. Like I told Kryik, Batarian creep me out, and most of them are douches to humans. Vorcha tend to bite, and can't form great sentences, ruins the moment, Salarian are nice, having low sex drives tends to take them out of the running." She paused and shook her head.

" Mordin's a sweetheart thought." She said and shrugged.

" Drell have some venom in their skin that causes hallucinations and I_ like _remembering what I do, besides that would be dangerous not being in full control with my _history_ with partners." She said and shook her head, putting a hand to her chin in thought.

" As for Volus, Elcor, Hanar, and Varren, I tend to stay away from. I have a Varren as a pet though, named him Falon." She said then stopped walking entirely and put a hand to her face, seeming shocked she'd just said that. He stopped as well concerned.

" Something wrong?" He asked puzzled. She shook her head and glanced at him warily.

" No, I suppose not. I usually don't talk to people about myself, and never things that could be used against me." She said honestly. He blinked. He supposed that was expected she had been very forthcoming to all his questions.

" Shepard said I'm easy to talk to." He said as if that'd help. She smiled slightly.

" I suppose if you ever tried to use it against me, you know what'd happen better then most now." Had she just threatened him? It sounded like it.

" I doubt I'd ever have the need to." He said honestly. He didn't plan on ever being on the opposite side of her gun.

" Well as long as you keep it to yourself C-Sec I won't tell John I just gave you a shit ton of Turian-Human porn." She said with a devious grin. He flinched.

" You drive a hard bargain." He joked. She laughed.

**End chapter:**

**Well there's that chapter out and done. I wrote a lot more then usual, thirteen pages, so hopefully that'll be good for now until the next can come out. Hope you're enjoying the fic so far. **

**A lot of people are asking about who John Shepard is going to be with, I honestly don't know, and there is going to be very little romance for him in this fic, wait until the next, which I'm still writing, for the second game, there maybe Tali, Liara, and Ashley hinting now, but nothing really solid. **

**This is mostly a Jane fic, if you hadn't notice, not that John isn't playing his part, but as for romance it's mostly for her, Shepard will have a romance more in the second fic, I'll post when this one is finished. As for who you'd like with him, you can tell me.**

**As for Garrus, it should be obvious by now, that he's not going to end up with John. I know a lot of you asked for that, but it's not going to happen, maybe in another fic I write, but not this one. Sorry. The usual banter between Shepard and Garrus will be there though, so at least you'll get that. **

**As for any other things you guys are concerned about, or like to mention, send me a review or PM, I'll do my best to answer anything you'd like to know. I hope you are enjoying the fic thus far. **

**Until next time.**

**Kyo**


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